Chapter 31
: How to Overcome Depression (4)
If that woman really could control the weather with the power of the gods, why was it that she maintained only those gloomy clouds?
Why had the so-called goddess protected only the North from abnormal climates?
No, why did she let the war happen in the first place?
Why… why…
“Why… why did you let my son die, stabbed by a Northerner’s sword?”
His figure, bathed in moonlight, silently crumbled.
Under the same moon, in the northern royal palace.
“Are you really sure this is okay…?”
A woman with wavy red hair moved her full lips as she spoke.
At her question, the one quietly watching the moon turned his head.
Beneath a deeply hooded cloak, his piercing blue eyes shone.
“What nonsense are you talking?”
“You know everything… I mean about the goddess.”
As she spoke, the woman subtly moved closer to him.
“What if she left the South unattended and then turned back to that side?”
Beneath the cloak, the man’s lips curled into a cold smile.
“That doll-like woman?”
“Well… I suppose after ten years of education, she wouldn’t have a rebellious thought left anyway.”
The woman returned a cunning smile mixed with a sneer.
“Humans don’t change easily. Three months is too short.”
“Still… what if…?”
“Even ten years ago, the North and South left deep wounds in each other.”
“You mean the war?”
“Humans are weak. The wounds deep in their hearts never fully heal and continue to divide people.”
The man turned his gaze to the sky once more.
“Even if we don’t intervene, they will naturally clash with one another… That’s human nature.”
He added softly beneath his cloak.
“That’s what humans are.”
“Lady Ilena! Good morninggggg!”
André’s voice, like a morning trumpet, woke Ilena.
“Ugh…”
It had been a long time since she had slept this well.
How long had it been since she’d felt this languid yet refreshed upon waking?
Whether she indulged in her thoughts or not, André busily went about his tasks.
He carefully brushed her hair into place, attached a hair ornament with golden beads, and helped her into a dress that subtly revealed her skin.
“Beautiful… yet a little modest…”
Muttering to himself, André focused more than usual on preparing her.
“What happened today?”
Still half-asleep, Ilena asked only as he finished dressing her.
“Well! You met the senior council members yesterday.”
“Yeah. How did you know that, André?”
Awake now, Ilena teased, and André, brushing her hair, flinched in surprise.
“Uh? N-no, I heard you met them! That’s what I heard!”
Seeing André so flustered, Ilena couldn’t help but smile.
‘Even mischief needs to suit your personality…’
“Right. I see. Well, of course, they couldn’t have been watching all that.”
André pressed his lips together, conscience pricking him, then carefully continued.
“Well… one of the senior councilors requested your presence at this council meeting, Lady Ilena.”
“Me? At the meeting?”
“Yes. If one of the senior councilors requests attendance, even Your Majesty cannot refuse.”
‘Ah, that must be him…’
Ilena recalled the elderly man from yesterday.
‘Ilro,’ the man who looked like an angry tiger, whose gaze at her carried deep anger and resentment.
Why was he so furious?
‘Well, I’ll find out when I go.’
As usual, with a slightly weary, expressionless face, Ilena followed André.
The meeting room was already filled with people.
Two golden chairs were placed at the highest seat, and Iago sat proudly in one of them.
Noticing her entrance, Iago gave a faint smile—but it was brief. He immediately returned to his imposing demeanor and spoke to her in a low voice.
“Goddess.”
At his call, Ilena slowly approached the breathtakingly handsome man.
‘Is that chair pure gold? Or just plated? I wonder what the gold market is like here…’
Though her face betrayed nothing, her thoughts wandered to such trivial matters.
‘Ah… it’s piercing.’
Suddenly, Ilena realized the burning gaze on her face.
Everyone in the room was staring directly at her.
And the gaze was divided into two distinct types.
The senior councilors she had seen before looked at her with eyes sparkling with goodwill and expectation.
In contrast, the younger ministers glared at her with triangular eyes.
Among them was Ilro, the senior she had feared.
It was inevitably an uncomfortable situation.
But naturally thick-skinned, Ilena decided not to care.
With each step forward, the gazes on her grew even more intense.
“Your Majesty.”
“Goddess.”
When Ilena reached them and bowed lightly, Iago nodded in respect toward her.
He then gestured to the seat slightly lower and to the right of him.
Though not as grand as the golden chair to his left, it was still well-decorated.
It seemed to be prepared as a sign of respect for the goddess.
As Ilena sat, a few murmurs of discontent arose from the seats of the senior councilors.
“Ugh…”
“Who said the wedding is tomorrow?”
“I heard the first birthday party is next year.”
Seated among the younger ministers, Ilena spotted Regolus.
She gave a slight nod to acknowledge him, and he immediately smiled widely, relief visible on his anxious face.
Seeing his emotions so openly, Ilena chuckled softly, just as a dignified voice rang out.
“Let’s begin the meeting.”
The tone was so low it could almost be taken as displeased.
Following Iago’s piercing gaze, Ilena noticed it landed on Regolus.
‘Iago still hasn’t forgiven last time, huh.’
Considering Regolus had made such a bold move against a king, Iago likely felt further admonishment was needed.
‘Of course. A superior must ensure discipline among subordinates.’
As Ilena nodded, the meeting began.
“Declare desertification a national disaster and cover all related issues with taxes so that the common people bear no burden.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Next, the matter of the water tax in the East.”
‘Unexpected,’ Ilena thought, taking in Iago’s handsome profile.
He maintained a strict, royal demeanor throughout the meeting.
No one could even think of a “t” for “rabbit” in his presence without feeling intimidated.
Watching, Ilena realized another truth.
‘So that’s why he’s pretending to be the Black King, even though it doesn’t suit his nature…’
“Even though we are not short on supplies, shall we just raise the water tax as they request?”
“The people are different, but as residents of the same Mai Island…”
‘Such foolishness,’ Ilena thought.
As if reading her mind, Iago interrupted bluntly.
“Stop such foolishness.”
His tone was unusually cold.
“B-but…”
“It’s not a matter of money. If we grant one request, everyone will keep making the same demands. Can you fulfill them all?”
‘Exactly.’
The faces of the councilors fell in unison.
Iago’s voice remained icy.
“This matter is rejected. Next!”
“Next is the case of smuggling caught in the border region.”
“Smuggling?”
“Yes. A Northerner…”
The minister reporting glanced at Ilena before continuing.
“They were caught secretly looting a mine in the border region and diverting ore to the North.”
“Illegal acts by foreign nationals will naturally be handled according to the truce agreement.”
Iago’s firm declaration caused a sudden uproar in the room.
“But…!”
“According to the new truce, their wrists should be cut off, but that’s too harsh!”
“Considering their circumstances, they were poor from childhood and have never eaten noodles like others…”
As the elders rose in objection, Iago pressed his temples as if in pain.
The room split into two, raising voices at each other.
Ilena could immediately see the clear dividing line: a generational gap.
“When I was young, there was no war or violence on this island! Meeting violence with violence leads to nothing!”
“Have you forgotten God’s teaching to turn the other cheek?”
“When was that? Ten years ago! Everything changed after the war!”
“Yes! We in Rihu must suppress the other island powers with strong military force!”
“No! In my time…”
“Why keep talking about your ‘latte’ era?”
“What? You insolent brat! How dare you speak to your elders that way!”
“Senior councilor! Please maintain manners in official matters!”
On one side were the older councilors; on the other, the younger generation including Regolus.
Among the elders, only Ilro seemed to support military action.
‘A divided kingdom even during a truce…’
To maintain balance, Iago had no choice but to act as the Black King.
Seizing a quiet moment, Ilena leaned slightly toward Iago and whispered,
“Always like this?”
Iago replied in a low, almost ticklish voice:
“Yes. As I said before, the elders remember the era before the first war, so they are pacifists. The younger generation, raised after the war, are stricter about violence and punishment.”
“I see.”
As a former CEO leading a major company, it was somewhat uncomfortable for her to watch.
‘Hmm. Definitely a situation where Iago needs to assert discipline…’
Suddenly, noticing the room had gone quiet, Ilena turned sharply.
Everyone present had their eyes wide open, staring at her and Iago whispering to each other.
